Baltimore’s Mercy Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit (NICU) is a Level III-B intensive care nursery that delivers
comprehensive care for infants who are born prematurely or
with congenital anomalies, and for any infants who require
special monitoring and care in the newborn period. The new
NICU in the Bunting Center features the latest in healthcare
technologies, special amenities for families and a heightened
sensitivity for patient privacy.

The challenge

Architects AECOM (formerly Ellerbe Becket) of Arlington, VA,
wanted to ensure that the NICU reflected both progressive
healthcare design elements and special considerations for
patient privacy throughout the facility. Interior windows
and doors needed to feature adjustable privacy options to
accommodate both the requirements for patient privacy and
for medical personnel to be able to monitor patient activity
effectively. They also wanted to be able to control light levels
in rooms to ensure optimal patient comfort.

The solutions

As part of the overall design approach, Unicel’s Vision Control®
integrated cord-free louvers were selected for both interior
windows and sliding doors to ensure flexible privacy options
along with sound attenuating attributes. Vision Control® is a
patented, hermetically sealed glass unit combining louvers
within glass that can be customized to virtually any shape for
healthcare glazing applications. Its advanced louvered glazing
technology eliminates strings, ensures alignment, requires no
maintenance and provides the ideal privacy solution for ICUs,
operating rooms, nurseries and more. Vision Control® is HIPAAcompliant
and a winner of The Architects’ Choice Award from
the National Symposium on Healthcare Design.

Interior windows

In 2010, approximately 280 Vision
Control® standard panels were
installed in the NICU by Zephyr
Aluminum for interior borrowed lite
(glazed wall) applications. These are
comprised primarily of 6mm or ¼” clear
tempered glass on both sides, along
with special panels made with lead
glass for x-ray shielding applications.
The glass-encased louvers can be
adjusted to block or filter external light
sources from entering the room when
darkening is necessary.

In 2011, Atlantic Door added
approximately 80 Vision Control® Mini
units into NICU sliding doors. These
units feature a thinner airspace, special
knob controls and new universal trim
kit solutions, and are made with 4mm
or 5/32” clear tempered glass on both
sides to maintain maximum thickness
for installation into the 1 3/4” thick
sliding doors. Vision Control® Mini’s
knob operator is designed to allow
adjacent doors to interact seamlessly
and without friction or obstruction.

Today

The NICU opened in June 2012 on the
8th floor of the recently completed
Mary Catherine Bunting Center at 345
St. Paul Place in downtown Baltimore
City. The NICU now admits 350 to
450 babies each year. Mercy’s NICU is
equipped with the latest technologies
to diagnose, monitor and treat newborn
diseases and conditions – all in a caring
and privacy-enhanced environment.